Planets
How are Planetary Rings Formed and Which Planets Have Them?
Planetary Rings around Saturn
Most of us have seen the pictures of the lone planet out in space with a dusty looking flat ring orbiting all of the way around it. These rings seem both alien and intriguing – why is it that some planets have rings and our own Earth does not, and which planets in our solar system have such rings?
8 Awesome Pictures of the Surface of Planet Mars
Mars is one of the closest planets to Earth, and we are starting to focus more and more resources on research and observing it. Detailed pictures of the surface of planet Mars are starting to emerge, and it seems as though human exploration of the planet is possible in the somewhat near future. Here are 8 awesome pictures of the surface of planet Mars to give you a better idea of what Mars looks like up close.
Mercury The First Planet
The Planet Mercury
Mercury is the first planet and I would say the planet that is most often ignored. Is this because it looks like the Moon? Are we only interested in planets with atmospheres (like Venus or Saturn) rather than rocky objects littered with hundreds of thousands of craters? Take a look at the picture above. This photo of Mercury was taken by Nasa’s Mariner 10 spacecraft in 1974.
Clouds of Jupiter Made of Hydrogen and Helium
The Great Red Spot
The first thing you see when you look at the atmosphere of Jupiter is the bands of dark and light clouds as well as swirls, waves and oval spots. The patterns are mezmerizing! So what causes this complex mixture of colors and shapes?
The Rings of Planet Saturn: Particles of Water Ice
Saturn's Rings - Highlighted by the Eclipsed Sun
Did you know that Saturn’s rings are made up of particles of water ice? Saturn has the most extensive and complicated ring system of any planet in our solar system. These beautiful rings are primarily made up of particles of ice ranging in size from micrometers to meters. They also contain dust and other chemicals.
